ARGHHHHledy blah Computers are stupid

So by now I am sure you are expecting the installment of True Love's Kiss I have promised. Alas, for my orientation, I am having to do all these online training modules and instead of just letting me click through them at a reasonable pace, they keep freezing, starting over without saving and generally being stupid. Since they are due tomorrow and Friday, depending, I must spend my time finishing these idiotic @(%$#*^$ modules. I PROMISE as soon as they are done you will get your next chapter. Probably Saturday. In the interim, I give you pretty. Mainly because I needed a break and what better way to take a break than to google pictures of pretty men. :D I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Books This Week (or semi-recently)

So, in my continuing effort to bombard you with fun, here are few good books I read recently. Don't worry, I am still working on the next part of True Love's Kiss - it was a crazy weekend so not much got written but between tonight and tomorrow night I hope to finish it. :)

 
Title: Spy vs. Spook #1 - Houseboat on the Nile
Author: Tinnean
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press Length: 350 pages
Rating: 4 Quills
Tags: spies, enemies to lovers, in the closet, second love, contemporary

Blurb

Mark Vincent is WBIS—Washington Bureau of Intelligence and Security. Quinton Mann is staunchly CIA. Mark thinks the CIA is full of dilettantes who leave him and the rest of the WBIS to clean up their messes. Quinn thinks most WBIS agents are sociopathic loose cannons. So they don’t exactly get along.

Of course, just because they don’t like each other doesn’t mean they can’t play mind games on each other. Or sleep together. But when an explosion at Mark’s apartment sends Quinn to the morgue to ID a body, he has to reevaluate his position on denial.

Review

This is the story of two intelligence officers, one with the Washington Bureau of Intelligence and Security (made up??) and the Central Intelligence Agency. They are rivals and for years have battled against each but have only recently met. Much to both of their surprise they cannot get each other off their minds. And, as the title suggests, they take of residence in a houseboat of denial, oops I meant a houseboat on the Nile.

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. Originally, I started reading it when it was the unpublished story, Mann of My Dreams and had to stop because editing and pacing were all amuck. I picked up the newly edited and professionally published version as a part of a challenge and while some of the issues are still there I found myself racing through this book. Somehow, and I can't really figure out how, these two wormed their way into my heart and I couldn't help but want them to finally realize they could make each other happy. 

My main cringe when reading this was the fact that the author told a whole scene or series of scenes from one character's point of view and then hopped back in time and told the same thing all over again from another character's point of view, and sometime did again from a third character's point of view. I appreciated the insight into the various character's minds. However, it drew the story out and it sometimes became tedious. When I finished I really wanted to give this 3 quills because of that. But every time I tried to record it as 3 quills, 4 quills came out instead. So, I guess this is one of those books that I can't really tell you why I liked it but I did. 4 Quills.

You can pick up your own copy of Houseboat on the Nile here at Dreamspinner Press for $6.99.

Title: Show Me Yours

Author: Kaje Harper

Publisher: M/M Romance Group - Love Is Always Write event

Length: 47,693 words

Rating: 4 Quills

Tags: family drama, in the closet, friends to lovers, light, contemporary

Blurb

Josh and Trey have been friends since they were kids, but Josh moved away when they were both seventeen. Their bond has been thinned by distance, by the weight of secrets withheld and a trust betrayed. For years now they've only exchanged short emails and occasional calls, over too many miles to cross. Trey's been willing to live with that, even encouraged it. Because letting Josh get close again might make keeping Trey's secrets impossible.

When Josh shows up on Trey's doorstep with a request for help, it could well be an unmitigated disaster. But Trey finds he can't say no. This is Josh asking Trey to lend a hand. Josh, the guy who still pushes every other man Trey ever looked at to second place. So Trey's going to take the chance and say yes. He's going to grab a few days with the straight guy he never stopped loving, take what crumbs he can get, and damn the consequences. Although those consequences may not turn out to be the ones Trey's expecting.

Review

This is the story of Josh and Trey. They were best friends in high school but have drifted apart since then - mostly due to the fact that Trey has been pushing Josh away so that he never discovers Trey's secret. Trey has been in love with Josh since they were 15 years old. When Josh comes back into town begging help with his Aunt's store for the week while she is on vacation, Trey balks but eventually realizes he can't refuse anything Josh asks. Over the course of the week they realize what was a friendship could be so much more. 

I am a sucker for friends to lovers stories and Kaje is one of my favs so I was bound to like this story. I really like the tension in the beginning and how they slowly learned to trust each other again. I also appreciated how Kaje did not have them hop right into bed with each other. So often author assume that just because two MCs have been friends for a long time they are ready to skip over all the physical intimacy steps straight to sleeping together. This story was made much richer by letting Trey and Josh work through what it meant to be together and figure what they wanted from each while getting closer to each other physically rather than having to back track.

My one complaint is that sometimes it was difficult to tell whose head we were in. Their voices were a little similar and I often found myself skimming backwards trying to figure out who was narrating at any given moment. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this fun story, especially the way Kaje was able to balance the joy of falling in love with the harsh realities of child sexual abuse and homophobia. 4 Quills.

You can pick up a copy of Show Me Yours here on it's Goodreads page for free.

Title: Belonging #2 - Counterpunch

Author: Aleksandr Voinov
Publisher: Storm Moon Press

Length: 55,000 words

Rating: 4 Quills

Tags: bsdm, athlete, sex industry, slavery, dystopian, alternate world

Blurb

Fight like a man, or die like a slave.

Brooklyn Marshall used to be a policeman in London, with a wife and a promising future ahead of him. Then he accidentally killed a rioter whose father was a Member of Parliament and had him convicted of murder. To ease the burden on the overcrowded prison system, Brooklyn was sold into slavery rather than incarcerated. Now, he's the "Mean Machine", a boxer on the slave prizefighting circuit, pummelling other slaves for the entertainment of freemen and being rented out for the sexual service of his wealthier fans.

When Nathaniel Bishop purchases Brooklyn's services for a night, it seems like any other assignation. But the pair form an unexpected bond that grows into something more. Brooklyn hesitates to call it "love"—such things do not exist between freemen and slaves—but when Nathaniel reveals that he wants to help get Brooklyn's conviction overturned, he dares to hope. Then, an accident in the ring sends Brooklyn on the run, jeopardizing everything he has worked so hard to achieve and sending him into the most important fight of all—the fight for freedom.

Review

Brooklyn is a cop who accidentally killed the daughter of someone very powerful during a riot. In this dystopian reality this got him convicted of murder. His sentence was life in prison but due to overcrowding this was commuted to slavery status. He lives his days as a slave boxing for the entertainment of rich freemen. And everyday he rebels against his cage, hating all freemen who have never had to live under the boot of slavery. Until one day, he is hired to service Nathaniel. Nathaniel does not want was Brooklyn expects and slowly worms his way into Brooklyn's heart. Together they work to get his conviction overturned and help Brooklyn train for the boxing World Championships. At the last minute, things go terribly wrong and seems like all is lost. However, Brooklyn and Nathaniel are able to pull through and win Brooklyn his freedom and his title. But even more importantly - they get to love each other forever as free men.

Let me be honest, I thought I would hate this book. I read it because I am doing the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's Members Choice Award Challenge. This story won for the Slave/Dub-Con/Kidnapped category. Those are generally hard limits for me and I will not pick books that include those themes (unless I dagnabit get them picked for a challenge because I am freakin' obsessed with completing my challenges). For once I am so glad I was forced to read a book I thought I would hate. 

Aleksandr brings Brooklyn and Nathaniel to such vivid life. I loved how Nathaniel did his best to treat to Brooklyn like a person and not a slave despite some of the secrets he was keeping. I am also a sucker for unlikely love stories (possibly why I like HotN above). Love snuck up on these two so slowly they didn't realize what was happening. It gave them a space of joy in a chaotic and unpleasant world. There were times I wish there had been more world building. However, I am guessing that is because I did not read the first two stories in this universe (written by Rachel Haimowitz and only tangentially related to these characters). If I had read those I am sure the structure of society and how the slave culture came to be would have been better explained. Nevertheless, I was very pleasantly surprised by this story. 4 Quills.

You can pick up a copy of Counterpunch here at Storm Moon Press for $5.99.

Also read recently:

The Society 1 - In Darkness Bound by Christine Price - 4 quills

BOatK 2 - Who We Are by T.J. Klune - 4 quills

Accidental Love by Shae Connor - 3.5 quills

A Note in the Margins 2 - Twelve Days by Isabelle Rowan - 4 quills

Instincts 2 - Enduring Instincts by S.J. Frost - 3 quills

Balls to the Wall 2 - Fire Balls by Tara Lain - 2.5 quills

Cut & Run 6 - Stars & Stripes by Abigail Roux - 5 quills

Updates and Pretty

Since I have been gone for so long I am going inundate y'all for a wee while here to get you used to checking in with me again. :D All this will culminate with a GIVEAWAY!!!

Update the First: Last week was near death experience week on Paranormal Paradigms. On Tuesday, Xara X. Xanakas did a great post and Thursday I wrote a Flash Fic called "Remember" about a near death experience. You can find my post here and I will putting a link to it my "Currently Available" tab.

Update the Second: On Monday I start my new job!! YAY! In honor of that, I am planning a giveaway - not for Monday but for in two weeks. That is when I will get my first paycheck so I can buy things to giveaway to you greedy fiends. :D I am not sure what this GIVEAWAY will look like but it will require reader participation in some way. Stay tuned for more information.

Update the Third: I have not forgotten about you, Amilyn. Unfortunately the continuation of Perfect got stuck in my summer of writer's block. I have two, maybe three, more chapters in the first "book" of True Love's Kiss. Once those are in the bag, my full attention is returning to Perfect before I start on "book 2" of True Love's Kiss.
NOTE: I would have just called them Part 1 and Part 2 except that is what I have been calling the chapters (*sigh*). Book 1 and Book 2 are the same story and not sequels. We just switch POV and the central story line shifts.

Update the Fourth: Some of you may (or may not) know that I am a complete Ty and Zane fangirl (of the Cut & Run series). The sixth book just came out a bit ago so I am still in Ty and Zane euphoria. I've read it twice already. All this to say that today's pretty is from the mind of Abi Roux (Abi's Tumblr and Ask Abi). These are the men that star in the Cut & Run movie in her and many of her minions' heads (or are just hot guys with guns). :D Enjoy.

Fan art by Carlo Adrian

Hope you enjoyed my Ty and Zane inspired pretty. ;)

True Love's Kiss - Part 7

Previous Chapter - Part 6

Part 7

I knew something was wrong as soon as we arrived in Silenkian’s room. The air smelled of copper and death. There was a pool of blood spreading out on the floor from the other side of the room. I watched in shock as one of Ris’ men rushed to what must have been the ill disposed of body of Silenkian’s valet.

“He’s gone,” came from the barely hidden corner only moments later.

It was then that I took a moment to look around. The room looked like it had been ransacked and one tapestry on the near wall was hanging up by only one corner. Behind where the tapestry should have been hanging, a hidden passageway was revealed.

I must’ve been in more shock from finding a dead body than I realized because what seemed like barely a second later, I felt Ris shaking me gently and saying my name.

“Be, come on. Snap out of it.”

I shook my head to clear away whatever trance had briefly taken me over.

“Yeah…yeah. Ris, I’m all right.” The barest smile tugged at his lips as I used my nickname for him.

He nodded at me and ordered his men to grab torches and follow us. Then Ris took my hand in his and led the way down the hidden stairwell.

The chill seemed to swallow us as we marched slowly down the stairs. The passageway must not have been used very often because even with the dim flickering illumination of the torches, Silenkian’s foot prints in the dust made an easy trail to follow.

At the bottom of the stairs three tunnels branched off at right angles to each other – each a shockingly even corrider that had to have been carved from the rock with magic. The trail of foot prints lad into the eastern tunnel.

“The only thing in that direction is the stables. We’ll go back up and head there through the castle,” Ris began as he pointed to me. “You follow this tunnel and make sure he doesn’t double back.” The guards snapped a salute and began their march, boots sounding eerily on the cold stone as they disappeared into the distance.

Ten minutes later, after a mad sprint through the castle, Ris and I found ourselves in the stables. It was immediately apparent that Silenkian had escaped on his horse only moments before. The stable boy was groaning back into consciousness and the other horses were still agitated from the disturbance.

I followed one step behind Ris as he made his way to the room that stored weapons and tack. He yelled at the stable boy to sadle our horses as we strode by, going directly to the weapons wall.

I watched, briefly impressed, as Ris armed himself with a heavy long sword and plethora of small knives secreted about his person. Then he reached for the pair of medium sized spiked hammers.

As he gripped them, he turned a questioning look in my direction and asked, “Are you ready to fight with these for real?”

I was pretty sure the answer to that question was no but there was not a chance in all the Hells that I was letting him fight alone so I nodded and spoke with false confidence, “Yes.”

He let me get away with my lie and merely watched as I slid the hammers, handle first, into my belt. It wasn’t an ideal way to carry them but it would have to do for now.

Ris looked me over, nodded, apparently satisfied, and then turned to go back towards the stalls.

All of the sudden he jerked to a stop, turned, and took two quick steps to where I was standing. Before I could even register what was happening, he had his hand threaded through my hair and body pressed against mine.

In one more breath, his lips were pressed hard against mine. My heart did a joyful flip flop as it sped up and I managed to get my hands on his hips as his tongue forced its way into my mouth. Another breath and he had slammed me back against the wall. His heat spread through me like a wild fire as he took possession of my mouth.

I gave it all back in full measure.

Finally, and entirely too soon, Ris pulled back. He kept his hands in my hair and gently pressed our foreheads together – the tenderness contrasting with the violent passion of moments before. His eyes were closed as he struggled to get control of his breathing.

His fingers tightened in my hair as he spoke, “Be, please don’t get killed.” The strain in his voice was apparent.

I shook my head to break his hold on me, lifted my fingers to his chin and forced him to look at me. “I won’t if you won’t”

Ris’ eyes blazed as he nodded fiercely, stole one final kiss and strode gracefully back towards the horses.

To be continued.

Stay tuned for part 8!